Here at Lux Mentis we like etymology. So here’s a quick lesson from Word School. The first definition Merriam-Webster lists for the word “occult” is: to shut off from view or exposure: cover, eclipse

the light of a star that was about to be occulted … by Uranus itself —Jonathan Eberhart

The list goes on to describe this notion of concealing, secretive, non-manifesting things, in terms of medical conditions. The word is Latin based and very much attached to esoteric modes of practices.

Currently, it seems the Western world seems to buzz with the occult, and historically it goes in waves of popularity with greater masses, as it did in the 1970s and 1980s, the rise of occult interests seems to follow a wave of conservative politics. Essential, people react when there’s a threat on many levels. The reality is that occult interest and everything that falls under its wings have always had a devout and steady scholarship and curiosities that extends to everything classified as “things that go bump in the night” to “Aeonic Transcendential Chaos Magick.” We like it all and like to find things that fit all shelves of the brain.

We’ve compiled a new list that reflects the nature of the occult and our continuing interest in supporting the proliferation of the esoterica. Please visit our catalogs tab here for all our lists or you can just download Occult/Esoteric Miscellany.